African Union
The African Union (AU) is a political alliance between 54 African nations. Only Morocco is not a member. The African Union was established in May 2001 and replaced the earlier Organization of African Unity (OAU). Important decisions of the African Union are made at semi-annual gatherings of the heads of state of the various members. The AU is headquartered in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. The reason that Morocco is not a member is that it objects to Western Sahara as a member nation, a disputed territory on the west coast.
The aims of the African Union are:
- To promote greater unity among the nations and peoples of Africa
- Accelerate socio-economic integration of the continent
- Promote peace and stability across Africa
- Promote sustainable development
- Attempt to raise the standard of living of all Africans.
It consists of the Assembly of the African Union, the meeting of the heads of state, plus a representative body, the Pan African Parliament, a 265-member assembly elected by the various national parliaments of the member nations.
The African Union also has the following:
- An Executive Council, which is made up of the member nation's foreign ministers
- A Permanent Representatives Committee, comprised of the member nations' ambassadors to Ethiopia
- An Economic, Social, and Cultural Council (ECOSOCC)
Its headquarters complex is located in Addis Ababa, a gift from the Chinese government.